22 January 2008

After a three-day weekend of fielding friends' and family members' "are you moving to New York?" questions and "you're totally knocked up, aren't you?" concerns in response to the "exciting announcement" I alluded to last Friday, I'm beginning to wish I'd chosen a slightly less emphatic adjective to describe what I'm about to describe.

But then again, what I'm about to describe is, in fact, pretty darn exciting.

For those who know me personally and for those who only know me blogospherically, the word "green" only enters into my vocabulary in the context of that which comes after yellow and before blue and that which tends to make for a stunning hue of evening gown for those with fair skin and mahogany hair.Put simply, the notion of being green, making green decisions or even thinking about being green or making green decisions is not something with which I've traditionally concerned myself.

But then, shortly after I wrote what one DC blogger rightly referred to as my "Closet Cleaning 101" post, I had the pleasure of being approached by and then spending a couple of hours with the author behind DC's newest green-living blog, "Righteous (re)Style". As a result of that delicious Cake Love meeting, I've now been set straight on my theretofore belief that caring about the environment would somehow shapeshift me into a paunchy, balding, friend-to-the-stars Democrat. Now I understand that just like there exists an avocado, a mint, a kelly and a hunter on green's color spectrum, so too are there gradations when it comes to living a green life.

And so, my first baby step in the direction of doing right by the environment is to co-coordinate (with Ms. Righteous) a one-day consignment event that will embody all things green and all things fashionable. We still have a few details to work out, including the date, location and what color cash register to rent, but what we do know is this:

The clothing at this event will be high-end, and by that we mean only the gentlest of gently-used professional, cocktail and formal clothing will be accepted

The only customers admitted to this event will be those who donate between 5-15 items

Pricing will be the responsibility of each individual donor

Major credit cards will be accepted

Shortly after the event, you will receive a check for the exact amount of money the sale of your clothing earned

You will have the choice of either reclaiming those items of clothing that aren't sold or donating them to a to-be-determined DC charity (this decision will need to be made at the time of your drop-off)

There will be a reasonable admission charge to cover costs, the excess of which will be donated to a to-be-determined DC charity

You will be welcomed to an event that is controlled in attendee size and chaos level -- no bargain bins, no makeup-stained messes, no food* and oh yes, cordoned-off private areas with at least one full-length mirror in which you will be able to admire yourself before making a final decision

Not only will this event provide an intimate opportunity for the style-minded women of Washington to co-mingle but it will also serve as a reminder to those who haven't made much of an environmental effort in the past (pointing at self), that by doing something as simple as extending the life of your clothing through consignment, you're making a contribution to the greater cause of a healthier, greener future.

Now, before Ms. Righteous and I choose a venue, we need to gauge the interest of our respective readerships. We want to know for just how many of you participation in an event like this is something that doesn't just interest you but will actually motivate you to stand in front of your closet, select the highest-quality items of clothing you no longer fit into/need/want, price these items, and drop them off on a pre-determined day at a pre-determined time.

This event is extremely important to both of us, and we want to make it as fabulous and well-coordinated as possible, so please, in the form of a comment or an e-mail, let either of us know as soon as you can that you'd like to join us in making our beloved DC a little bit greener and a lot more stylish.

Maybe I'm not being clear with my definition of "high-end" here. I'm not saying it must be Dior, I'm just saying it can't be in sh*t shape. We want every piece included in the event to be something a woman could pick up and get excited to wear to work or out in the evening. We don't want people to have to pick through chaff to get to the wheat. We also wanted, in the name of reigning in the chaos, to edit the type of clothing to include professional "and above" only.

Don't get me wrong, this is not about name brands, it's about the *quality* of the item.

Well, for premium denim, it may be about the brand, but you know what I mean...

LOVE LOVE LOVE- can't wait! While I do love the controlled idea, would a wee bit of vino (or long-necks for you) and a mini-quiche platter REALLY ruin the situation? I would be willing to pay a bit more for my ticket, and I can assure you, my credit card gets used quite a bit more when a glass of red is in the other hand.

this could not have come at a better time! i was just thinking about taking all my won't-wear-again items to a consignment shop! this will be so much better, and not just because I'll earn more money. can't wait to meet you and other women in the District who'd be interested in participating.

I'm glad you don't mean Dior, but I still don't think anything in my wardrobe counts as high-end. 80 percent of everything I own comes from H and M or Forever 21 (my salary is suh-mall) and while I have some never worn H and M suits that are too big for me, I'm guessing that wouldn't make the cut...

I can already think of the first 5 pieces I'm going to include. This is such a good idea, J. So cool that you're partnering with another blogger too!

I have at least three pairs of premium denim I've either never worn or worn once when I was at my skinniest. At a consignment shop I was offered $35 for a pair of $250 Genetiks. Just couldn't do it. Maybe for $100 at this event however.....

I definitely wasn't one of those weirdos making comments about your elbows yesterday but I'm also as my name implies, a reluctant fan of yours on most days. *However* anything that will help make more women in this town take note of style is something I'm down for. it sounds like you've really carved out a cool and very "you" way to do something old. look forward to hearing more (date, place, etc.) soon.

I'm interested, but most of the "high end" garments I'd consider donating are dated to the point of being completely out of style (if not downright fugly). If "high end" = "stylish" I doubt there's much in my closet I'd be giving away (also, I'm slightly afraid of your reaction if I showed up with a bunch of butterfly-collar blouses).

To the person who rolled her eyes at someone attempting to have fun (heaven forfend) with such a charitable event, I'd wager that by folks selling their clothes and opting to donate that amount to charity, they'll end up giving more than if they just handed over their old stuff to Goodwill.

I'm so glad you're keeping this to professional and formal clothing. It's in these areas that I need a bargain. For casual, it's super easy to just drop by Zara or Banana or wherever, but for work and cocktail parties, it's a different story. They're all at Sugar Daddy prices!

I've been thinking of a way to sell my premium denim (hudson, paige, tr, j brand) since my 28s and a couple 27s are too big now. It sucks because I only wore 2 of them a couple times. I would love to switch for some 27s/26s.

The Concept

Each day, with old man candor, I'll offer my brand of style counsel to the professional DC women who believe a serious job is a valid excuse for an ill-fitted, office inappropriate, comfort first work wardrobe. And when the mood strikes me, which is often, I'll also muse about celebrity fashion and my own fashion-related comings and goings, both of which, I'm sure, are of great interest to you.